CHICAGO — Vanessa Rodriguez is no stranger to the entrepreneurial spirit. She’s owned BabyDolls Boutique in the Southport Corridor in Chicago for the past 12 years.

The boutique is a true labor of love for Rodriguez. It’s a space where she displays all of her original creations. The Pink & Blue clothing line is her custom kids’ clothing line, all made from designer fabrics to create unique outfits for infants to toddlers. And it’s all made right here in Chicago.

The space offers more than just for the kiddos. There are plenty of jewelry options on hand for adults.

“There is a mix of fashion pieces that are a little bit more of the moment and the season,” Rodriguez said. “There’s the handmade pieces made by Chicago designers, where I over 30 designers who custom make a lot of pieces and those are the ones that I sell the most.”

In the pandemic, Rodriguez used her time to put the finishing touches on an idea that she had. She finished her first Children’s book, “Chicago Me.”

“It’s my current labor of love,” she said. “It’s a little adventure about a baby who is going to bed and his mommy and daddy are putting him to sleep. He goes and visits all the historical landmarks in the city, and he has a special friend with him in the book and it’s just darling. The ending is absolutely amazing.”

The book is just one of many Chicago-themed options for that perfect present for that new mom. There are a few options to buy stuffed animals inspired by the book as well. To order your own copy of the book and learn more about the store, click here.

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